New user so I hope this is the right place.
We are about to gut our daughter's bathroom, 1st time attempting this!! I have what might seem a stupid question to some.
Obviously we turn off the water by the main before taking off the existing shower fixtures, do you then have to cap the pipes in some way so we can turn the water on for the rest of the house?

 

When I'm retiling a shower and am in demo mode, I don't normally need to turn off the water to remove enough to get to the studs. The shower head is usually threaded pipe and has no water pressure unless the supply below is turned on. The handles and down spout are usually the same way and can be removed also. The only reason I can see to turn off the main is if some of the plumbing is in need of replacement or is being rearranged. If the existing plumbing isn't having anything done to it, just the fixtures, you shouldn't need to turn the main off.

PS : No stupid questions. Sometimes stupid answers, but no stupid questions. Every one starts somewhere. Enjoy your project.

 

thanks for the reply. I knew I could remove the shower head as I have replaced one before. I was unsure about the tub spout as I remember watching a DIY program and the person was removing the tub spout and water came pouring out and he was screaming for someone to shut off the water. Did not want that to happen to me!!!!

 

Especially if it's the cold water. Unless something is broken, you should be OK. The person in the program may have broken a pipe while working which will have that result. Another thing that will produce water is turning one of the fausets on in the process of removing the fixtures. Care to guess how I know that one?

 

If its an old fauset. Now would be a good time to replace. You can leave and work around it. Then take it out and replace it.